Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Cycling And Climbing Through South America

Two cyclists and climbers have combined their passions to launch a single great expedition that is currently underway in South America. Calling themselves the Biciclimbers, adventurers Jairo and Fer have set off to ride their bikes from Caracas, Venezuela to Ushuaia, Argentina, covering a distance of about 15,000km (9320 miles) in the process. Along the way, they'll also stop to climb some of the more prominent mountains in the countries they pass through as well.

According to their blog, it seems that the expedition got underway earlier this month, with the team first setting its sights on a climbing a big rock wall on the Gran Sabana of Venezuela. After that, they'll return to the road and what ever adventures capture their attention.

The Biciclimbers have dubbed their expedition "Pedaling the Andes," and they expect to cross through eight countries along the way. After leaving Venezuela, they'll make their way to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and finally Argentina. Exactly which mountains they'll climb along the way remains unclear, although the website does list Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America at 6962 meters (22,841 ft).

The website and blog for the Biciclimbers is in Spanish, so in order to follow along, you'll need to be able to speak the language or use Google Translate to stay updated on their progress. They are already posting blog updates form the road however, and from the sound of things, they're enjoying the adventure so far.

What an amazing idea for a trip. Cycling and climbing on an extended journey sounds fantastic, and I hope Jairo and Fer have a great time. Very inspiring!